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Are high taxes on Cigarettes Fair?

Smoking currently is a massive health-care problem which dramatically impacts the lives of people and puts tremendous stress on the health-care system for smokers and non-smokers alike. The latest statistics for cigarette smoking are as follows:

Smoking is a greater cause of death than any single disease. ( World Health Organization).

Fifteen million smokers try to quit each year - only 5% reach their goal.
Cancer is the second leading cause of death.
Smoking causes about 90% of lung cancer deaths in women and 80% in men.
Smoking causes cancers of the bladder, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, cervix, kidney, lung, pancreas, and stomach.
Smoking causes coronary heart disease, the leading cause of death in the U.S.
Cigarette smoking doubles a person's risk for stroke.
Cigarette smoking causes reduced circulation by narrowing the blood vessels.
Cigarette smoking leads to Respiratory disease and has other health effects.

What have we learned from raising taxes already?
Forty three states and the District of Columbia have dramatically increased taxes since 2001 - more than doubling the average cigarette tax from $.44 to $ 1.05 per pack. Numerous Studies in those states have measured the effect of these higher taxes. The conclusions of the studies are interesting. The result of the increased taxes are a drop in overall consumption and fewer kids smoking. Every ten percent increase in price reduces consumption by 3-5% and the number of kids that smoke by 6%. The decrease in smoking was most pronounced in males, blacks, Hispanics, pregnant women and lower income persons. The increased taxes on cigarettes also lead to higher state revenue which can offset the costs of rising health-care and fund programs for tobacco prevention and maintain programs for lower income persons.
Increasing the taxes on cigarettes is a health solution for the states, reduces smoking, saves lives, reduces health care costs and raises revenue.

The public at large appears to agree that high taxes on Cigarettes are fair. In a poll done in June 2007 by the Mellman Group, 67% of the United States public supported a Federal increase in the cigarette tax by $.75 per pack to fund health care for uninsured children. The support was strong across all party lines and demographics.

Are high Cigarette Taxes fair? The positive effect higher taxes have had on cigarette consumption since 2001 in the forty three states that have more than doubled cigarette taxes is proof that increasing taxes leads to less smoking. The higher revenue the States gain from increased taxation is an offset to the health expenses realized from smoking related health problems.

Higher taxes on cigarettes are fair to non smokers who do not want to pay for the health related costs of smokers. If you smoke and know the risk it is only fair to pay for the possible health ramifications and future expense through high cigarette taxes.

Statistics Source:
(Center for Disease Control) www.cdc.gov/tobacco/data_stati stics/factsheets/health_effect s.htm

Learn more about this author, James Smith.
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